Dogs go grey early because of stress, too!

It's time-old cliché that being stressed turns your hair prematurely grey, and now it would seem that our pets suffer just as badly. If you've started to notice some silver strands on your dog's muzzle, then it could be a sign that they're feeling anxious, according to new research.

The study by Northern Illinois University scientists, published in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science, revealed that dogs who went grey early – between the ages of one and four years – were reported to have high levels of anxiety. Those with more silver hairs were especially likely to be fearful of loud noises, unfamiliar humans or dogs, the Daily Mail has reported.

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While scientists have long suspected that dogs go grey early because of stress, the results have been described as 'striking' by the research team. They studied 400 dogs, rating their level of muzzle greyness before asking owners to complete a questionnaire assessing their pet's levels of anxiety, as well as other characteristics.

This revealed that silver-speckled pooches rated highly for both anxiety and impulsivity, while female dogs were also more likely to go grey.

Researchers now believe that going grey under the age of four years could indicate that your dog might be suffering from anxiety or fear-based conditions.

'If dog professionals (veterinarians, applied behaviourists, dog trainers, etc) are able to note premature greying in their assessments and or training, then these dogs might be assessed more thoroughly for anxiety/impulsivity/fear problems, and, if necessary, started on behaviour modification programs earlier in their developmental life stages,' the authors told the Daily Mail.

'Additionally, owners could be educated to monitor for premature greying in young dogs.'